Shield



March 31, 1942. J. HAWKINS- A2,277,758

, ,SHIELD Filed Aug. 28, 1941 wf; l

4 @D J 53M rm? @mais Patented Mar. 31, 1942 UNiTED STATES PATENTV OFFICESHIELD Frank J. Hawkins, Hyattsville, Md.

Application August 28, 1941, Serial No. 408,685

1 Claim.

The invention relates to shield strips of a character to be applied overan electric cable or conduit to make it impossible for a subsequentlydriven nail to damage wiring.

It is an object of the invention to provide a strip of readily separableunits from which as many units as necessary may be removed for application to a specic location.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a strip of thecharacter described in which each unit shall have provision forfastening means.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a shield ofthis character wherein at least certain of the units making up the stripare provided with means formed integral therewith by which the strip maybe secured either temporarily, until nails or screws may be driven, orpermanently without use of added nails or screws.

Further Objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription when read in connection with the accompanying drawingshowing illustrative embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is an end view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 of Figure 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail plan and edge views respectively showing amodified form of the attaching means.

As shown the device comprises a strip of material Il] formed, forinstance, of soft steel and provided with lines II of weakness, shown ascaused by depressing the metal so as to make the strip readily frangibleupon these lines. The depth of the depressions provided to produce thelines of Weakness may depend to some extent upon the frangibility of themetal.

To receive fastening elements as nails or screws, perforations I2 areshown which are arranged upon the strip preferably in staggeredrelation, as illustrated, in order to better support the strips adjacentthe ends of the sections than would be the case if they were placedcentrally thereof. It will be understood that more perforations than thetwo shown in each section may be provided or any other arrangement ofperforations preferred may be used.

In addition to or in lieu of fastening elements inserted through theperforations I2, the material may be secured in place by spurs I3 struckout from the material of the strip desirably at an edge thereof, asshown.

With the spurs i3 present and also the perforations I2, the strip may beplaced over the wiring to be protected and struck with a hammer, whereit will stay either temporarily while other fastening elements areprovided or if itis desired to make the spurs of sufficient length, theymay be depended upon for nally securing of the material in place.

In Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a spur I4 provided by striking thematerial from the strip resulting in a depression I5 in the edge of thestrip and when so formed a nail or screw may be driven with its shank inthe depression when its head will overlie the face of the shieldsufficiently to provide a permanent fastening. It will be understoodthat the spurs I4 may be formed interiorly of the body of the strip butthe edge location thereof is preferred since the interior formationwould give an opportunity for a later driven nail to pass through, withpossible damage to the electric wiring.

The width of the strip as a whole and the length of the individualsections may be anything desirable for the purpose. Desirably the lengthof the sections may be twice the width of the strip whereby when acertain number of sections do not cover a space to be protected, and onemore will be too long, a single section may be broken olf and placedtransversely so that any given space may be protected to within lessthan the width of the strip as a whole.

It will be seen that in Figure 1 the lower section I6 of the strip isformed of a length substantially twice the Width of the strip. The twosections I1 are each one-half of section I6, and the three sections I8are each one-third of the section I6. It is to be understood that eachlength of the strip may be made up of sections I 6 alone. If desired thestrip may be made as above indicated all of length I6, but the provisionof the length of material as shown in Figure 1 at I1 and I8 gives anadded ability to the Worker to ll in any given space very nearlycompletely.

Those skilled in the art will understand that use of the device of theinvention is not limited to directly covering a conduit or string ofcable, but its normal use is upon a beam, joist or stud over thelocation of Wiring passed through a hole spaced from such surface lessthan the length of a nail.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claim, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim:

A stock shield strip from which varying lengths prising aliquot parts ofsaid units whereby a 10 length closely corresponding to a needed lengthmay be readily broken olf from the stock strip, said unit and certain ofsaid aliquot part lengths forming adjacent the edges thereof with meansfor reception of securing means, whereby said securing means will nottouch the wiring when driven to attach the shield to the structure to beprotected.

FRANK J. HAW'KINS.

